


Status Quo

by samyazaz



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Drunkenness, Gay For You, M/M, Team Gluttony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-07-12
Packaged: 2017-12-19 05:52:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/880186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samyazaz/pseuds/samyazaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's easy, holding himself back. Arthur's the guy who's got a new girl on his arm every other week, the sort of guy who groans and covers his eyes and objects loudly should he be witness to even the briefest glimpse of male nudity in a TV show or movie. It makes it easy for Merlin, knowing he's straight, knowing there's no chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Status Quo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [teprometo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/teprometo/gifts).



It's easy, holding himself back. Arthur's the guy who's got a new girl on his arm every other week, the sort of guy who groans and covers his eyes and objects loudly should he be witness to even the briefest glimpse of male nudity in a TV show or movie. It makes it easy for Merlin, knowing he's straight, knowing there's no chance.

He's got it down to a science, by now. He knows how to smile and mean it when Arthur introduces him to his latest girlfriend, he's almost to the point where he'll automatically go for a shoulder pat or a clap on the back instead of a hug whenever they get together in a social setting. He only stares at Arthur's mouth a little bit, and only when his attention is occupied elsewhere.

Merlin stares at his hands a bit more than that, truth be told, but he doesn't chide himself too badly for that. He hasn't been caught yet, but even if he is, staring at Arthur's hands can always be passed off as staring into the distance, at nothing in particular.

He hasn't yet mastered himself enough to not feel that familiar tug of want deep in his belly whenever Arthur slings an arm around his shoulder and lets them press close together, side-to-side. It's a very masculine sort of embrace to him, Merlin's sure, but to Merlin it's pure temptation to have that lithe body, those strong muscles pressed in against his, warm and close enough to touch. His stomach still catches whenever it happens, but he's able to smile and hug back now, to keep any evidence off of his face so Arthur will never know.

It's easy, almost. Getting easier by the day. And when it's not, when it's painful and difficult and all he wants to do is lock himself in the nearest bathroom and wank until he can't see straight anymore, he reminds himself that it's worth it, because losing Arthur's friendship would be a hundred times worse than never having his love.

And that status quo works just fine, right up until the day it doesn't, the day Arthur comes banging on the door to Merlin's flat in the middle of the night, hurt and furious because this time, his girlfriend of the week dumped him before he had the chance to break things off himself, and Merlin's grown complacent enough not to realize the danger in pulling out a bottle of brandy and offering him a drink to soothe his woes.

Because Arthur is in the mood to drink until he's shitfaced, and because Arthur doesn't like to drink alone. Merlin realizes his error and puts the booze away before Arthur's far enough gone that Merlin needs to be worried, but not before he's decidedly drunk, and Merlin not far behind him.

It's easy, pulling Arthur and letting him cry on Merlin's shoulder. Easy, too, to soothe him with a hand stroked over his brow. And from there, it's natural as breathing to lean in and cover Arthur's mouth with his own, to offer him comfort in the form of a kiss.

When Arthur stills, Merlin freezes. He draws back, starts to apologize, the word tumbling out of his mouth. Arthur is staring at him, but he doesn't seem angry or offended, doesn't even seem disgusted. He stares at Merlin like he's never seen him before, and then-- Then he leans in and covers Merlin's mouth with his own, and muffles a groan against his lips, and Merlin's lost.

They're both drunk, and Arthur's straight, and their friendship might never survive this. But all that is lost beneath the rush of his pulse when Arthur slips down off the couch to kneel between Merlin's legs. His hands work Merlin's fly open before he can make his tongue work well enough to protest, and then he leans in and presses his face to the narrow vee of underwear exposed by the gaping zipper. He presses his face there, to skin and cotton and Merlin's throbbing erection, and fuck, he _inhales_ , and Merlin's face flushes with self-consciousness. He can't smell like anything down there but sweat and spunk, but Arthur breathes him in like he's the finest cologne and Arthur can't get enough.

And then he's pulling the elastic waist of Merlin's underwear down, freeing his cock and his balls and breathing over him with a determined look in his eye. 

Merlin should stop him now, he knows he should. It's too far already, and they're both bound to regret it in the morning. But Arthur brushes his lips over Merlin's dick and then parts them, swallows him down, and it's easy, it's so fucking easy to just curl his fingers in Arthur's hair and feed his cock down Arthur's throat until he's swallowed Merlin to the root and his nose is pressed against Merlin's groin.

Tomorrow there's bound to be hell to pay, but for tonight, it's the easiest thing in the world to just let go, and let himself take what he's craved for so long.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Status Quo](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1017107) by [RsCreighton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RsCreighton/pseuds/RsCreighton)




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